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Emerging artists discuss the challenges of making it in music
By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 1 April 2016
Help Musicians UK has released a video in which emerging musicians are asked about the challenges they face as they attempt to make it in music. In the short clip, business, financial and emotional concerns are all covered, detailing things many will not realise are ahead of them when they enter the industry.
“Being a musician is like setting up a company, and you’re the product”, says Anna Lena Bruland. “So you need this bank-load of money to start with to get your first record, to get all your press shots, to get music videos, to get funding to go on tours. It’s insane how much money goes [into it]. Rehearsals cost a lot of money – in London it’s very expensive. You need new equipment, you need new gear, it’s very expensive. If you go on tour, it’s very expensive”.
“It’s incredibly emotionally draining to have this rollercoaster ride where one month you might be gigging and touring around and getting great success, and then the next month you’ve got nothing going on”, adds Douglas Dare. “And that’s just one side of the emotional [challenge]. It could [also] be the reaction you get from people online. That can be difficult”.
If that hasn’t put you off, then there are some positive sides to life as a musician too, of course. But find out more of the challenges in the video here:
